Doctor of Philosophy in Elementary Education

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Curriculum and Instruction (C&I) with a major in Elementary Education emphasizes theory and research in elementary education drawn from the disciplines of anthropology, sociology, philosophy, psychology, and the humanities. Completing a doctoral program requires an intensive commitment, and students are encouraged to pursue doctoral study on a full-time basis. Qualified applicants are eligible for financial support, teaching assistantships, tuition waivers, student housing, and consulting opportunities for teacher education centers. A limited number of fellowships and scholarships from the College and University are also available on a competitive basis.

The program of study leading to a Doctor of Philosophy in C&I with a major in Elementary Education requires a minimum of 48 semester hours of coursework, twenty-four semester hours of dissertation credit, and satisfactory completion of a qualifying exam, preliminary exam, and oral defense of the dissertation. The coursework includes a nine-semester hour core of doctoral courses in elementary education, a 14-18 semester hour core in research design and qualitative and quantitative methods, and other coursework specializations to meet the student's professional and academic goals.
The Curriculum and Instruction: Elementary Education program prepares teachers to excel in classrooms and other educational settings. As you progress through the program, you will gain additional experience and knowledge to meet any challenge in elementary classrooms. Additionally, our specialist and doctoral students go on to produce research that shapes classrooms and policy around the country.
Students choose to pursue an Elementary Education degree at Florida State for several reasons. Our highly accomplished faculty have strong backgrounds in their respective subject areas and value close-working relationships. They want nothing more than to see their students succeed.
Classes are small, so you can easily form friendships and study groups. We offer a small school atmosphere rarely found at a major research university. This provides our students with unique and invaluable classroom experiences.
We offer an online master's degree as well as on-campus doctoral degrees to individuals who already hold a Professional Educator's Certificate. Note: If you are seeking a program that will lead to teacher certification in Elementary Education (grades K-6

A bachelor's degree with at least a 3.0 GPA An earned bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework attempted while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student working towards a bachelor's degree.
A master's or specialist degree with at least a 3.0 GPA An earned master's or specialist degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework attempted.
GRE test scores*. Official test results are required from the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). These scores are considered official only when they are sent directly to the Office of Admissions from the testing agency. Examinee copies are not considered official. Graduate Record Exam (GRE): http://www.ets.org/. FSU Institution Code: 5219. The Educational Testing Service (ETS) do not retain scores longer than five years. If your test scores are older than five years, you may have to retake the test to have official scores sent directly to FSU from the testing agency. If you have the report that was mailed to your home address for older scores, then FSU will accept that report.
M.S. and Ed.S. applicant target scores: Verbal 146+, Quantitative 140+
Ph.D. applicant target scores: Verbal 151+, Quantitative 145+, Writing 3+
*NOTE: The GRE admission requirements for master's and specialist programs have been waived through Fall 2026.
Language proficiency test (international students only) FSU accepts scores from TOEFL (minimum 80), IELTS (minimum 6.5), MELAB (minimum 77), Cambridge C1 Advanced Level (minimum 180), Michigan Language Assessment (minimum 55), and Duolingo (minimum 120)
Transcripts Applicants must submit an official transcript from each college and/or university attended.
Admission to graduate study is a two-fold evaluation process. The Office of Admissions determines eligibility for admission to the University, and the academic department, program, or college determines admissibility to the degree program.
Applicants must upload the following REQUIRED supporting documents to the Admissions Application Portal:

Statement of purpose should describe your purpose for pursuing a degree, qualifications and long-term career goals.
At least two (2) pages for Ph.D. applicants
Letters of recommendation
Three (3) for Ph.D. applicants
One page resume/curriculum vitae
Writing Sample it is acceptable to submit a paper used in another class, or one that was published.
Language proficiency test (international students only) FSU accepts scores from TOEFL (minimum 80), IELTS (minimum 6.5)
Paper based TOEFL (TOEFL): 550